Poly(hydroxy ether)s (also known as phenoxy resins) form miscible blends with a variety of with polar polymers, such as aliphatic polyesters (see, for example, J. E. Harris, S. H. Goh, D. R. Paul, and J. W. Barlow, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, volume 27, page 839 ff. (1982)), aromatic polyesters (see, for example, L. M. Robeson and A. B. Furtek, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, volume 23, page 645 ff. (1979); and W. H. Christiansen, D. R. Paul, and J. W. Barlow, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, volume 34, page 537 ff. (1987)), polyethers and polyoxides (see, for example, L. M. Robeson, W. F. Hale, and C. N. Merriam, Macromolecules, volume 14, page 1644 ff. (1981); and J. I. Iribarren, M. Iriarte, C. Uriarte, J. J. Iruin, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, volume 37, page 3459 ff. (1989)), polysulfones (see, for example, V. B. Singh and D. J. Walsh, Journal of Macromolecular Science., Part B: Phys., volume B25, page 65 ff. (1987)), and poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone)s (see, for example, J. I. Eguiazábal, J. J. Iruin, M. Cortazar, and G. M. Guzman, Makromolekulare Chemie, volume 185, page 1761 ff. (1984)). In addition, poly(hydroxy ether)s have shown utility in compatibilizing blends of diverse polar polymers like polyurethanes, polyesters, and nylons (see, for example, C. Uriarte, J. I. Eguiazábal, M. Llanos, J. I. Iribarren, J. J. Iruin, Macromolecules, volume 20, pages 3038-3042 (1987); and H. E. Snodgrass, R. L. Lauchlan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,126, issued Dec. 28, 1971).
Poly(hydroxy ether)s contain about six percent by weight secondary alcohol groups that can interact with polar functional groups in other polymers and substrates. The existence of such interactions and their influence on the miscibility of polymer blends has been shown by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (see, for example, E. J. Moskala and M. M. Coleman, Polymer Communications, volume 24, page 206 ff. (1983); and M. M. Coleman and E. J. Moskala, Polymer, volume 24, page 251 ff. (1983)). In general, however, poly(hydroxy ether)s are incompatible with non-polar polymers, including aromatic non-polar polymers such as poly(alkenyl aromatic)s, poly(phenylene ether)s, and unhydrogenated and hydrogenated block copolymers of alkenyl aromatic compounds and conjugated dienes.
Epoxy-functionalized monomers and polymers have been used to compatibilize poly(phenylene ether)s with poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(butylene terephthalate). See, for example, D.-W Lo, C.-R. Chiang, and F.-C. Chang, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, volume 65, pages 739-753 (1997); and W.-B. Liu, W.-F. Kuo, C.-J. Chiang, F.-C. Chang, European Polymer Journal, volume 32, pages 91-99 (1996). However, the resulting blends have substantially reduced melt flow compared to corresponding uncompatibilized blends. The reduced melt flow makes the compatibilized blends more difficult to injection mold.
There remains a need for materials capable of compatibilizing blends of polar polymers and non-polar polymers without sacrificing melt flow properties.